Will and Hope [Formerly Ro and Georgie, slowly editting]

Chapter 7

She squeezed her eyes shut and stepped back into the ballroom, when she opened them people were swarming around the room like angry bees. All talking making a low thrum that made the floor vibrate lightly. She turned around wide eyed to look at Roland. How the hell did she have so many guests? She couldn't know this many people.

Roland put his hand in between her shoulders in a comforting way; he moved his hand away, too soon for Georgie's liking. He smiled at her, it was reassuring but there was something sad there. She didn't like it and felt she would do anything to get that look off of his face. She smiled back and then gave him a puzzled look. He shook his head and smiled at her, possibly too brightly.

She turned back to the party. Someone caught her eye; she was a young woman, in her twenties. Her ginger hair was twisted in a difficult twist with half of it tumbling over one shoulder. She smiled wryly and went back to whispering to her friends, they turned up to look at her. Georgie's first instinct was to raise the v's at them but as she went to lift her hand Roland took it and shook his head. "I do not know what you are about to do, but I believe it will be unladylike. So please; do not." Georgie pursed her lips and turned back to face the girls. She lifted her chin slightly and smiled like she was the only important thing in the world. She stepped forward, Roland shadowing her steps. She walked long strides through the hall to a group of tables at the side. As she went people turned and whispered some looked at her grinning, others in confusion as if they couldn't place who she was.

"Why are they looking at me like that?" she asked.

Roland looked uncomfortable. "There is another reason why the town has let this ball happen. It sickens me to say this but they have also made this an engagement ball. For you, Princess and Joseph." Georgie went still and cold, her mouth fell open. She sat there like that as Roland looked at her concerned and uncomfortable. People around the area where they sat were still whispering and turning to look at her but they didn't seem to notice that Georgie had become paralysed by the news. Either that or they didn't care.

"What?" Georgie asked when some of the shock had worn off "What do I say Roland? I...I know I don't know Georgina but what would she say? Would she say yes?" Georgie's brain was frying her stomach was tying into knots that she hadn't tied since she was about eight when she had a serious problem with stress. Georgie felt the familiar feeling of nausea wash over her and a burning feeling in throat. She was going to vomit. She swallowed it back "I'm not Georgina but I know that she loved you." A ripple of love flowed through Georgie's body. It was burning hot but then freezing cold. Georgie shivered. She'd had these feeling a few times, like something else was wrestling with her thoughts and feelings and trying to get there point across. She knew this was Princess Georgina. When they were feelings it gave the sensation she'd just had which felt bad but the thoughts were worse. They came out in high pitched, pompous screeches that left Georgie with a hang-over headache. Right now the feelings were burning through her in waves. It radiated anger and fear. As Georgie looked back at Roland heart-break was added to the feelings smoothie. Princess Georgina seriously loved Roland. "She really loves you. I'm not marrying him." Georgie said finalising the discussion.

Roland obviously hadn't finished the discussion; neither had Georgina who was screaming in waves "No. Georgie you cannot. However you live at home, it is not like this here you cannot deny marriage. Not to him." Roland whispered furiously. Georgie nodded slowly, she knew if she started an argument there would be a huge audience, and she wouldn't like it. It was a joke that one of the shyest girls in school had to be a Princess and be centre of attention.

"Fine." Georgie said. Roland smiled awkwardly and looked the other way leaving Georgie to battle with Princess Georgina who was still throwing surges through her ordering Georgie not to do this. The feeling of this was like putting your hand on a Bunsen burner flame and then having a cold shower, it made her short of breath and she wanted to scream badly. Georgie stubbornly tried to ignore the pain and kept with her plan.

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"May I have your attention?" A high pompous voice rung through the hall. Georgie froze, holding her breath and trying to slow her heart rate down. This was it. Joseph tapped a glass with a silver knife he held in his hand. "Now then. We are here to celebrate Princess Georgina’s eighteenth birthday. Happy Birthday Princess." The crowd grumbled their appreciation. Roland stood up and held his hand out for Georgie. She took it, she noticed her hand was shaking badly, and tears were promising to escape. He smiled at her weakly and led her through the crowd to where Joseph was standing.

His shiny face smiled at her and she was instantly repulsed. "I have known Princess Georgina since she was the age of three. Before I had met the Princess I had heard of how royal she was. Polite, happy a true Princess." He grinned at her and her face scrunched up, she really hated this man. So did Princess Georgina. How could she willingly marry him? Didn't she know what came with marriage? Yes was the answer, the waves ripped through her and she kept back the urge to shiver. "We have been building up to this moment Princess, have we not?" Georgie didn't answer. Joseph stood there looking at her expectantly. When she didn't answer he looked away uncomfortably and carried on. "So, Princess. Would you become my wife?" Georgie gritted her teeth and pursed her lips. She didn't speak. He tried again "Would you become my wife Princess?"

"No." Georgie answered, a rumble of shock came from the crowd. Georgie stood her ground looking sternly up at Joseph.

"Excuse me Princess? Did you just say no?" Georgie nodded grinning from ear to ear. Joseph was uncomfortable. Good pompous prick. Georgie thought. "It has been arranged. Our families have planned this day before we had even met. You cannot just refuse."

Georgie shook her head and laughed bitterly, "Yes. Our families arranged this. Not me. I love you not." Georgie used English from Shakespeare plays she'd learnt in Lit. It was probably weird but at least it was the old language.

"Who do you love then?" Joseph sneered. "You should know Princess that you marry first then love will come."

Georgie shook her head smiling, "It does not. You love and then you marry, and because of this; I will not marry you."

"Georgina!" someone screeched behind her, Georgie turned around, the crowd was yelling in protest at the use of Georgie's name without the title. She saw who had said it as the noise died down; the Princess' mother barged through the crowd. Georgie cringed inside, everyone was looking at her, some in disgust others in amusement and Georgina's mother looked at her like she was about to rip her head off. "How dare you. Sir Joseph has just asked for your hand in marriage and you deny! He is correct; marriage first, then love." Georgie shook her head in protest and she realised that Princess Georgina was not protesting any more she didn't know what to do it seemed to Georgie. "Do not shake your head at me! You are marrying this man and that is final."

Georgie felt the need to say 'It's our future. Please don't throw it away' in a really bad Welsh accent like in that recycling advert that used to be on when she was a kid. Instead she said, "But I do not love, Joseph. He repulses me." Georgie said it quietly and smiled sweetly after. The crowd was angry now exclaiming at Georgie for being so stupid.

"I repulse you do I Princess?" Joseph sneered; Georgie nodded again smiling her best smile. Roland, she noticed was standing like an ice at her side, he hadn't moved since she had started on her plan. "Fine then. It is off." and he walked off. But as he was reaching the door he doubled back. "Please tell me Princess; who do you love?" Roland had relaxed as Joseph had started to leave, but at the question he froze again. Joseph sneered a smile. "Sir Roland?"

Georgie nodded. She knew it wasn't right, knew they'd get into trouble. But she felt the need to shut Joseph up. Princess Georgina was throwing ripples off like tsunamis now and it hurt. "Roland." she gasped through the pain and turned to exit the room. When she was at the door she turned to look for Roland, who she had presumed was just behind her.

Roland was at gunpoint, well that was what Georgie guessed was gunpoint as she was not into action movies. Joseph had a revolver in his hand pointed at Roland's head. Roland stood there a few feet from Joseph visibly shaking, his eyes wide with terror looking straight at the gun.

"ROLAND!" Georgie yelped as she ran back towards the centre of the crowd.